Wow Dick Gordon

Saddened by the news confirming that another OverseasFilipino Worker (OFW), Cirilo Borgonia, was killed in mortar and rocket attacks in Baghdad, Iraq, SenatorRichard J. Gordon expressed yesterday his sympathy for the Borgonia family and his serious concern for the safety, security, and welfare of OFWs.

“I want to extend my condolences to the Borgonia family for the untimely death of Cirilo Borgonia. My prayers are with them. I truly feel sorry for their great loss,” said Gordon.

“I hope no other OFW will suffer the same fate,” he added.Notwithstanding the Government ban on deployment toIraq, reports confirm the rising presence of OFWs in that country.

“Apparently, we need to get the message out to all Filipinos who are overseas or seeking to work overseas that there are places that are not safe for them,” stated Gordon. According to Gordon, the purpose of the termination or ban on deployment by the Government is to promote the safety, security, and welfare of OFWs.

“We must ensure as much as possible the safety, security, and welfare of OFWs who continue to work and earn dollars from abroad. At the same time, we must create opportunities within the Philippines so that eventually, Filipinos can find their future not in foreign shores but in their own native Filipinas,” he said.

Sen. Richard Gordon, one of the authors of the Poll Automation Law, said he had been asking Abalos to step down for failing to implement the law and modernize the election system even just in some areas. Sen. Edgardo Angara co-authored the bill.

“Look what’s happening? We cannot proclaim the 12th senator, this should not be the case,” Gordon said in a phone interview from the US.

The automation was set for pilot-testing in six provinces and six highly urbanized cities in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao, but the plan did not push through.

Gordon said it was time for Mrs. Arroyo to “walk the talk” by providing the budget for the measure.

“This should be part of her legacy. She must be able to put us out of the dark ages. It is a moral responsibility. It will be very good way to exit from the presidency,” Gordon said.

Gordon said Mrs. Arroyo should appoint new commissioners with “impeccable credentials.”

Gordon also said Mrs. Arroyo should make Abalos account for the P1.3 billion paid to Mega Pacific Consortium for substandard counting machines. “We cannot just smile and say sorry we lost P1.3 billion,” Gordon said.

The Supreme Court had declared illegal and voided the contract between Comelec and Mega Pacific. But the Ombudsman exonerated the Comelec officials despite the SC’s ruling. “Abalos should be made accountable for all these things,” Gordon said.

Under an automated election system, tally results are transmitted immediately to the Comelec, political parties, media and other poll monitoring groups. The system involves paper-based records for easy verification of votes.

www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=2007070997
CBCP: Change Comelec chief
By Edu Punay
Philstar Tuesday, July 10, 2007
w/Paolo Romero, Aurea Calica, Marvin Sy, Sheila Crisostomo

SEN. Richard Gordon is proposing a jail term of 12 to 20
years for cellular phone snatchers.

In his Senate Bill 288, Gordon said cellular phones have
become indispensable tools of communication and the increase in the incidents of cellphone theft necessitates a stiffer penalty to discourage
snatchers.

Records from the Philippine National Police showed about a thousand persons victimized by snatchers last
year. The record does not include incidents that were not reported to the
police. Some of the incidents were also fatal to the   victims who resisted the snatchers and were either knifed or shot.

Last month alone, 76 cellphone-snatching incidents were
reported nationwide, 43 of which took place in the National Capital Region.

"There is an urgent need to protect our people from cellphone snatchers as well as thieves of other related
gadgets such as personal digital assistants and laptop or   notebook computers which are devices for information and communication," Gordon said.

The Gordon measure proposes a 12-year stay in jail for the perpetrator if the
offense was committed without force or violence, and 20 years if force, violence
or intimidation was employed. If the victim is seriously injured or killed,
Gordon proposes life imprisonment or a maximum of 40 years’ jail time for the
perpetrator. – JP Lopez

http://www.malaya.com.ph/jul04/metro4.htm